Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Peter C Feldman

Garry Hayes

Anthony C Burgi

Michael T Tichvon

Patricia O Stein

Apparatus ( ) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle ( ) that has a side structure ( ), a roof ( ), and A, B, C, and D pillars ( ) includes a first inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ) that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The first inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ), when inflated, is positioned generally between only the C pillar ( ) and the D pillar ( ) of the vehicle ( ). The apparatus ( ) also includes an inflation fluid source ( ) for providing inflation fluid for inflating the first inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ).

Inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for a vehicle with third row seating

An apparatus ( ) helps protect an occupant of a vehicle. The apparatus ( ) includes a knee bolster ( ), an inflatable device ( ), an actuatable inflator ( ), and a flexible tether ( ). The knee bolster ( ) is movable in the vehicle from a stored position adjacent to an instrument panel ( ) of the vehicle to an actuated position to engage a knee of the occupant of the vehicle. The inflatable device ( ) moves the knee bolster ( ) from the stored position to the actuated position. The inflatable device ( ) inflates in a first direction toward the knees of the vehicle occupant. The inflator ( ) inflates the inflatable device ( ). The tether ( ) limits movement of the knee bolster ( ) in the first direction and positions the knee bolster in the actuated position. The tether ( ) engages an exterior central surface portion ( ) of the inflatable device ( ) and restricts inflation of the central surface portion ( ) of the inflatable device. The inflatable device ( ) inflates laterally in the vehicle due to the tether ( ) restricting inflation of the central surface portion ( ) of the inflatable device.

Knee bolster apparatus with center tether

A steering wheel assembly (,) mounts on a vehicle steering shaft (,) which has a threaded end portion (,). The steering wheel assembly (,) comprises a steering wheel armature (,), an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,) supported on the steering wheel armature (,), an inflator (,) for providing inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,), a hub (,) fixedly attached to the steering wheel armature (,) and for non-rotatable attachment to the steering shaft (,), and a rotatable fastener (,) rotatably supported on the hub (,) for axially forcing the hub onto the steering shaft (,) upon rotation of the fastener in a first direction. The fastener (,) has a first end portion (,) including gearing (,) for rotating the fastener and a second end portion (,) for threadedly engaging the threaded end portion (,) of the steering shaft (,) upon rotation of the fastener. A retainer plate (,) spaced from the inflator (,) is fixedly attached with the steering wheel armature (,). The retainer plate (,) overlies the first end portion (,) of the fastener (,) and retains the fastener on the steering wheel armature (,).

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Almont, MI, United States of America

Peter C Feldman